(LISTEN): Columbia city manager’s proposed budget increases public safety funding and provides pay raise for city employees

By Zimmer Communications

Columbia’s city council is scheduled to vote at the September 21 meeting on city manager De’Carlon Seewood’s proposed approximately $600-million budget. Mr. Seewood tells 939 the Eagle that he hopes the budget is approved that night:

“It’s been a lot of work. One thing that we’ve intentionally done is make sure that we’ve engaged our residents on what should be in the budget. We want to hear their voices to make sure this budget reflects our community needs and what are community desires are,” Mr. Seewood says.

g9yrozgwsaagcgw — Columbia police say the January 3, 2026 carjacking and shots fired incident happened at the Shoppes at Stadium (January 3, 2026 file photo courtesy of Columbia Police Twitter page)

Mr. Seewood’s proposed budget includes a three percent pay raise for the city’s 1,600 employees. It would also increase the Columbia police department’s budget by 0.7 percent and the fire department’s budget by 2.5 percent. CPD’s current budget is $35.4 million, while CFD’s budget is $31.4 million.

dsc00715 enhanced nr (002) — Then-Columbia Housing and Neighborhood Services director Rebecca Thompson, right, Columbia city manager De’Carlon Seewood, left, and city finance director Matthew Lue, middle, brief residents and reporters about the budget/housing at city hall (2024 file photo courtesy of then-Columbia spokeswoman Sydney Olsen)

Mr. Seewood’s proposed budget was introduced in early August. It contains a three percent pay increase for city employees. City manager Seewood tells 939 the Eagle that’s been a top priority for council members:

“First thing the council said when we met in January when we started talking about our priorities … the number one priority was our employees. And so their goal is we have to make sure we compensate our employees for the work they do,” he says.

Columbia’s fiscal year begins on Thursday October 1.